Foldable rowing machines really are some of the best piece of equipment to have in your home gym. They allow you to do any type of rowing motion without being confined to a fixed single-station rower.
They're quite affordable and take up very little space, and even if you're tight on home gym space, it probably won't cost more than a few hundred dollars to build the perfect home workout area.
Five Exercises You Should be Doing with Foldable Rowing Machines
Here are five great exercise moves you can do with a foldable rowing machine for fat loss and muscle strength.
1. Reverse Lunge
If you're looking for a major glute burner that also helps with balance and coordination, look no further than the foldable rowing machine.
To do a reverse lunge:
- Face away from the machine and stand with one foot on the floor.
- Place your other foot on the seat of the machine behind you.
- Slowly slide your back leg back, bending both knees to come into a lunge.
- Engage your core and push through your heel to come back to the standing position. Do 4 rounds of 8 to 10 reps.
2. Lateral Lunges
Grab a hold of this foldable rowing machine and work up the inner thighs. This exercise benefits balance, coordination, knee stability and of course, gets major results from the glutes.
To do lateral lunges:
- Stand behind the rowing machine facing the seat.
- Place your left foot on the floor and extend your right leg out to the side, placing it on the seat.
- Reach out to the side as far as you can with your right foot while keeping your left foot firmly planted on the floor and stable.
- Lower yourself back as far as you can while keeping an upright posture.
- Do four sets of 8–10 repetitions.
3. Side Jump + Burpee
You can burn fat and build lean muscle fast with this foldable rowing machine-inspired workout. It incorporates movement for your entire body, so you get an intense cardio and strength training workout in just a few minutes. And you'll hardly break a sweat!
To do the side jump and burpee:
- Start by standing to the right side of the rower.
- Jump over the base of the machine and drop into a push-up position.
- Reverse the motion and jump back over the base. Repeat for 8 to 10 reps.
- Do four sets.
4. Plank-to-Knee Crunch + Twist
This exercise will strengthen your shoulders and target your entire midline. Grab a plank and knee crunch then twist for an upper body workout that burns fat and tones up the core and works up the knee joints!
To do the plank-to-knee crunch and twist:
- Stand behind the machine and face away from it placing your hands on the bars and your feet against the seat.
- Bring your core muscles into play and slowly slide the seat toward you, bringing your knees to touch the opposite elbow.
- Reach over and touch that elbow, then bring yourself back to a plank position. Repeat that 8-10 times on each side.
5. Elevated Dips + Push-Ups
If you haven't worked out lately, this dip and push-up combo will get your muscles out of rustiness and get them ready to draw power very quickly. If the power in rowing comes primarily from the lower body, this is the perfect combination of moves to top off a full-body workout.
To do the dip and push-up:
- Face away from the machine with your back toward it.
- Place your hands on the seat and plant both feet on the floor behind you.
- Engaging your core, lift your knees toward one elbow at a time by sliding the seat toward your body.
- Touch an elbow with each knee, then return to starting position and repeat for eight to 10 repetitions.
- Do four sets of the exercise.
Benefits
Rowing machines are excellent pieces of home and exercise equipment.
Here are some reasons why they're great:
- They use your upper and lower body.
- Increase your heart rate.
- Burn calories.
- Improve muscular endurance.
- Strengthen your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves, shoulders, lats, biceps, triceps, and core muscles.
- They're low-impact routines.
- They're appropriate for high-intensity interval training or steady-state cardio.
Takeaway
If you're working to lose fat, the rowing machine is a great choice for both easing into a workout routine and burning fat. The rowing machine targets many of your body's muscle groups, and it increases your heart rate and improves the endurance of the largest muscle group in your body, your legs. As an added bonus, the rowing machine requires no special skills and can be used by people of all ages and fitness levels.
Foldable rowing machines are budget friendly, portable, and can be stored in small spaces. If you are looking for an alternative exercise, look no further. Overall, the decision is up to you, but if you're looking for a fitness workout that gives you complete body strength, then the best foldable rowing machine is a great option!